By JOHN MUNFORD
jmunford@TheCitizenNews.com

To inform local residents of an emergency situation occurring nearby, Fayette County emergency officials need only to make one phone call.

A computer does the rest of the work, dialing up to 2,100 telephones in less than 10 minutes. A pre-recorded message is played at each residence to notify the public of the situation and how long it is expected to last.

The Fayette County Emergency Notification System can be used in the event of a hazardous materials spill, a train derailment or any similar emergency, said Capt. Pete Nelms, emergency management coordinator for Fayette County. It will not be used to alert residents of severe weather unless an emergency shelter is opened and the public must be notified of its location when severe weather strikes, Nelms added.

The system can notify residents on a particular street, in a specific subdivision, or within a certain radius of an emergency scene, Nelms said.

The emergency phone notification system can help send evacuation notices if necessary, he added.

“It's important to give accurate, quick information to the public,” Nelms said. The system has another plus: residents don't have to buy any equipment to receive the emergency message.

Though the system has been in place for under a month, it has already been used once. During a natural gas main rupture on Ga. Highway 54, residents in The Landings subdivision were notified when the situation began.

The message warned the residents not to drive their cars in the area, but another round of calls was made when the situation was cleared up and the road was finally re-opened to traffic.

Nelms said residents of The Landings praised the use of the phone notification system.

The system also helps free up operators in the 911 center, who usually field calls from residents wanting to know if they are in danger when certain types of emergencies occur.

“It cut down on the phone calls, and that's a plus when you're real busy,” Nelms said.

It is believed that Fayette County is the first county in Georgia to begin using such a phone system. The Fayette County Resource Council and Local Emergency Planning Committee have footed the entire bill for the $10,670 system.

“Funding for the system was provided completely by Resource Council/LEPC member company donations and sponsorships from Fayette County businesses, with no taxpayer money being used,” Nelms said.

The system is available 24 hours a day. It is maintained by First Call Network Inc. in Baton Rouge, La.

Among the member businesses that contributed were Photocircuits, Georgia Pacific Resins, Peachtree City Water and Sewer, Triumph Motorcycles of America, NCR Corporation, Lawson Mardon Atlanta, Avery Dennison-Fasson and TDK Electronics.

The Fayette County Resource Council and Local Emergency Planning Committee is a voluntary partnership between local businesses, government agencies and private citizens. The group's mission is to develop local emergency response plans, provide training and education and coordinate shared emergency response resources among its members.

The group has supported the Fayette County Hazardous Materials Response Team with equipment, training and technology through donations and private funding at no cost to taxpayers.